In a move that may jeopardise the future of the National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW), the Planning Commission has refused to provide Rs 7,500 crore for NMEW, arguing that providing money from Plan funds amidst the current economic downturn “would not be possible”. Instead, the Plan panel has asked the Women and Child Development ministry to seek funds from 14 social sector ministries which have women-specific schemes.

The mission is considered to be President Pratibha Patil’s brainchild. Grand plans for the mission were announced by Patil in her speech to the Parliament in June this year. UPA II’s agenda for the first 100 days would include “a National Mission on Empowerment of Women for implementation of women-centric programmes in a mission mode to achieve better coordination”, the President had announced.

Accordingly, the government provided 33 per cent Plan allocation of Rs 3,25,140 crore in Budget 2009-10 for women specific programmes, a marked departure from the earlier era. For example in 1993-94, it was less than 10 per cent of the Plan size of the Union budget. “We already have substantial funds for various women’s schemes, which calls for better targeting,” a Plan panel member, unwilling to be quoted, said. “We have told the Women and Child Development ministry to seek funds from 14 ministries which have women specific schemes. That is because, we cannot provide so much money from Plan funds in a time of slowdown,” the member argued.

The NMEW — based on recommendations by the governors’ committee set up by Patil — has been tasked with the monitoring of programmes under as many as 14 ministries to achieve better coordination. The mission will coordinate with 14 social sector ministries including health and family welfare, rural development, human resource development, urban employment and poverty alleviation, youth and sports affairs, labour, social justice and empowerment, tribal affairs, drinking water, small scale industries and agro and rural industries, science and technology, non-conventional energy sources, textiles and agriculture.

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